firecat

http://www.aclu.org/blog/womens-rights-lgbt-rights-religion-belief-reproductive-freedom/get-tested-or-get-out-school

The ACLU is demanding that the Delhi Charter School in Delhi, Louisiana, end its policy of forcing students to get pregnancy tests (and kicking them out if they refuse).

After perusing the school policy manual, I also disapprove of the school's policy allowing corporal punishment of students, and I'm glad that "public display of affection" including "holding hands, hugging, kissing, leaning against each other" wasn't consider a "major infraction" at my school.

Edited to add: The school is changing its policy.

Crossposts: http://firecat.livejournal.com/774884.html

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

From:

lilacsigil

And gee, I wonder what happens if the student *is* pregnant? And I wonder what their policy on student fathers might be?

From:

firecat

If the student is pregnant, they kick her out, but in some cases she is allowed to continue studying the school curriculum from home.

Student fathers? Whatever do you mean? Double standard? Pardon me, I don't understand?

From:

lilacsigil

These young women and their parthenogenesis! Downright disrespectful, I tell you.

From:

bibliofile

Kids! These! Days!!!1!

From:

ailbhe

you can't damage young men's prospects, they'll have to support a family one day.

From:

outlier_lynn

Well, if charter schools work in Louisiana like they work in California, nobody is required to attend a charter school. Presumably, the parents chose that school precisely for their methods and attitudes.

That said, I think parents have way too much control over what happens to their teen children. I absolutely believe that a teen has the right to refuse a medical procedure, even (or maybe especially) if it is peeing on a stick.

Now a few words about corporal punishment. I was raised by a mother who strongly believed in CP. She put me in a Missouri Synod Lutheran Church elementary school that strongly believed in publicly administered CP. It took me years to get past the issues that caused. In fact, I still have a great deal of test anxiety, it just doesn't get in the way much and I don't throw up when faced with an important test, but I do break out in a cold sweat and my pulse goes way up.

I think CP is child abuse. Flat out. When Sweden outlawed all forms, I was so happy I cried. I could never live in the Bible Belt.

From:

firecat

Yep, I agree with all that.

The legal problem with the charter school policy is that it's discriminatory against girls, in violation of the national Title IX law. Even if no one is required to attend it, I think it's wrong for a school that accepts government money to write policies that discriminate against girls. (I edited the post to indicate that the school is changing its policy.)